Skhumba and Celeste Ntuli lead this year’s comic awards nominees

Both Celeste Ntuli and Skhumba Hlope are nominated in four categories each. Ntuli is nominated in the Native Tongue, Game Changer, Flying Solo and in a new category introduced this year, the Comedy G Award.

Hlope was the most nominated comedian last year and this year again he has also been nominated in the Native Tongue, Flying Solo, the Gamechanger and the Savanna Comic of the Year category.

The pair are closely followed by Loyiso Gola and Carvin H Goldstone, who each have three nominations.

This has been a record year for the Annual South African Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards with a massive spike in entries. As many as 272 South African comedians are vying for one of the 10 awards, while 53 entered from the continent to be crowned the Savanna Pan-African Comic of the Year.

There were 17 comedians honoured in the Lifetime Achievement category. There is also great excitement about the new category that’s been announced, The Comedy G Award.

This award is launched to celebrate the stalwarts of the industry, it recognises the comedians who produce great comedy night after night; the ones who simply grab the mic and work the room.

The nominees were announced at a press lunch at The Goliath Comedy Club on Wednesday but we’ll have to wait to see who’ll leave with the Waldo at the main awards event on 8 September at The Lyric Theatre.